Condensing-engine



(No Model.) 2 sheetssheet 1.

F. A. GALB.

GONDENSING ENGINE. No. 810,575. Patented Jan. 13,1885.

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(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

I'. A. GALE. GONDBNSING ENGINE. No. 310,575. Patented Jan. 13, 1885.

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FRANK A. GALE, OF LOVELL, MASSACHUSETTS.

CONDENSINGfENGINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 310,575, datedJanuary 13, 1885.

Application filed May 7, 1884. (No model.)

Be it known that I, FRANK A. GALIE, a citizen ot' the United States, residing at Lowell, in the county of' Middlesex and Commonwealth of Massachusetts, have invented cer tain new and useful Improvements in Condensing-Engines. of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to an improvement in single-cylinder engines; to means whereby a part of the steam is first exhausted from the cylinder into a heating apparatus, and the remainder ofthe steam is then exhausted into the condenser in the usual manner, and to inc-ans of operating the exhaust-valves.

In the accompanying drawings myimprovement is represented as connected with a Cnrliss engine, Figure l being a front elevation of the steam-cylinder and valve-gear, Fig. 2, a central longitudinal section ot' the steamcylinder, steam-chest, induction and eduction ports, and exhaust passages and valves, also the piston and piston-rod, Fig. 3, an end elevation ofthe steam-cylinder, showing also the position of the rocking plates, dash-pots and arms, valve-rods, and extra exhaust-pipe, the first three figures showing the position ofthe parts represented in them when the forward stroke is nearly completed; Fig. 4L, a side elevation of the exhaust-valve detached, Fig. 5, a section on the line X X in Fig. 4; Fig. 6, an end elevation ofthe engine, showing pipeconnections, heating apparatus, and condenser 5 Fig. 7, an isometric view of one of the stationary slotted arms which support the springstuds, and one of said studs; Fig. 8, avertical section ofa springstud socket through the slot ofthe arm.

The steamcyliuder A, piston B, piston-rod B, stcan1-ehest A, induction-ports A2 A3, induction-valves C C', their stems c c', and their operating mechanism, including the bell-crank levers F F, daslrpot rods c e', and dash-pots E, (only one being showin) rocking plate I-I, eccentricrod 71., crab-claws G G, provided with notchesg yto engage with the studsff, swiveled on thelower arms of the levers F F, and serving as guides for the rods g2 g3, which carry the crab-claws G G, said rods g2 g being pivoted at one end to the rocking plate H, the lmoclcot'tsfzf,adjustably secured to the hubs of the levers F F,to disengage the crab-claws from the studs f f', and the springs y g, which throw the claws G G upward to engage with the studsff, may all be of the usual construction and operation.

A* A5 are eductiolrports opening into the usual exhaust-chamber, A, the latter being connected by the exhaust-pipe] with the condenser J, in the usual manner. There are other exhaust-pipes, kk', communicating with the eduction-ports and with any suitable heating apparatus, as with the pipes which heat the air of a factory, or with pipes for heating dyes, or for other purposes.

In the drawings, Fig. 6, a pipe, K, is oonnected in an obvious manner with the exhaust-pipes k k', and this pipe is tapped at desirable intervals to supply radiators k2, one of whiclris shown, and the connection of another, d. It isnot of course new to heat buildings by the exhauststeam of an engine; but it is believed to be new to exhaust a part of the steam into the heating apparatus and t0 exhaust the remainder into the condenser. This I accomplish by the exhaust-valves and valve-motion described below, both exhaustvalves being alike.

In place ofthe usual nearly cylindrical ex- 4 haustvalve used in the Corliss engine, I use at each end ofthe cylinder, on a single valvestem, L L', a double-seated. exhaust-valve, M M, consisting of two half-cylinders, m m', each half-cylinder provided with a longitudinal slot, mi, in its ilat side, to receive the valveste'n'i L L', and a steam-passage, m, formed by cutting away equally the upper edges of said valves or half-cylinders ofthe same pair, and having a clearance-chamber, m, connected by holes m5 through the valve and stem to the steam-passage m, for the usual purpose of equalizin g the steampressure on opposite sides of the valve and decreasing the friction-on the valve, said clearance-chamber being formed equally in the lower part of the two half-cylinders of the same pair. The valves M. M are partially rotated to allow the steam to be exhausted at the beginning ot" either the forward or backward stroke into-the condenserthat is, when the live steam enters on one side of the piston, the exhaust-valve at the coresponding end of the cylinder is closed entirely, and remains closed until the piston nearly conlplctes that stroke, when it opens to the heat- IOO ing-pipes, and at or near the completion of the same stroke it closes the passage to the heating-pipes and opens into the condenser-pipe. The valves of course turn in hollow cylindrical seats, substantially as the induction-valves turn. v

The mechanism by which the val ves are operated is described below.

Turning on the same stud, h,with the roeking plate H is another rocking plate, H, Operated independently of the plate H by a separate eccentric-rod and eccentric, like those now used to operate the inductionvalves. This plate H has connected to it by pivots h3 h* the rods u a,carrying crab-claws N N', just like those commonly used with the inductionvalves in the Corliss engines, and above referred to.

Secured to the stems L L', respectively, of the exhaust-valves are the three-armed levers O O', which have each an upper arm, o, a lower arm, o', and a side arm, o'.

To the side arm, o2, are pivoted dash-pot rods 1J 1)', carrying dash-pots l only one being shown) at their lower ends. These dash-pots are of the usual construction, each having a guide, pand air-cock p3, for the usual. purpose.

To the lower arm, o', of the three-armed levers are pivoted studs a2 a, like the studs f f which serve as guides to the rods a ln, and with which the crab-claws (being thrown upward by the springs) respectively engage to open the eduction-valves to allow the steam from the cylinder to enter the heating-pipes k 7c. The time during which the inductionvalves remain open is controlled by the governor operating the conneeting-rodsllto rock the levers i i', the hubs it It ot' which have slight projectionsor knock-offs f2 f xed on them, as is well understood, and turn freely on the valve-stem to bring the knock-offs at suitable times in contact with the upper arms of the crab-claws Gr G', and thereby disengage the lower arms of said claws from the studs ff, whereupon the weight of the dash-pots E turns the lever and closes the inductionvalves. The exhaust or eduction valves are alternately turned to close the heatin g-pi pes and open the condenser-pipes by knock-offs q q', which, although adjustable, operate uniformly. The knock-offs q q are slotted pieces, having projections q2 g, secured by screws passing through the slot Q thereof into the hub of the lever O, which projections strike the upper arms of the crab-claws N N and disengage their lower arms from the studs n a, the weight of the dash-pots l? pulling down the side arm, o, and rotating the exhaust-valves to open them into the condenser-pipes, only one exhaust-valve, of course, being open at the same time. The exhaust-ports are closed (one at a time) by the long arms of the bent pawls R It striking the inside of the upper arms, o, of the levers, said pawls being pivcted on pawl-rods r of', which are pivoted at their inner ends by studs, one of which, a, is shown, to the back rocking plate, H, and slide in the stud pivoted to the upper arms, o, just as the studs are pivoted to the lower arm, o. rl`he long armsr" r of the pawls are thrown down by the springs r 1"", but are prevented from falling below the pawl-rods by stops S S', secured to said pawl-rods, or by straddling said rods; At the same time that either pawl (for illustration, say R) pushes against the corresponding lever, O, and closes the corresponding exhaust-valve, M, the side arm, ci, ot' the same lever, O, partially raises the dashpot P, connected to said short arm. Vhen either pawl is drawn back from the corresponding lever, the short arm of the pawl strikes against the stud T or T, as the case may be, and raises the long arm ot' the pawl above the top of the lever, so that said lever may swing under it and allow the dash-pot to fall, the dash-pot having been raised in the meantime. The pawl is raised, as above described, just as the knock-oil' q q hits the upper arm of the crab-claw N N. The stud T Tis beveled on top away -from the outer side, and provided with an enlarged head, t. The shank t ofthe stud is surrounded by a spiral spring, t, which is compressed between the head of the stud and a shoulder, n, in the studholder V. The shank of the stud-holder reachesv through a slot in the arm XV or V, which is secured to the valve-stein guide or bearing, and is held in place by an external shoulder, e', of the holder, resting on the top of the arm YV, and a nut, tfscrewed on the threaded lower end of said holder up against said arms \V \V. The stud T is prevented from jumping out of the holder by a nut, t, screwed on its threaded lower end. The pawl moves in over the top oi' the spring-stud far enough to allow the long arm of the same to drop inside of the stud when the dash-pot P is down. Vhen the pawl moves outward again partially raising the dash-pot l, the beveled end of the short arm of the pawl slides over the bevel on the spring-stud and forces the latter down out of its way, the spring-stud rising again when the pawl has passed entirely over it.

I claim as my inventionl. In an engine, the combination of the cylinder having an eduetion-port, two exhauststeam-conducting pipes, a two-way valve adapted to connect either ot said pipes with said eduction-port,v and automatic means, substantially as described, for operating said valve, as and for the purpose specitied.

2. The combination ol' the rocking plates, the pawl-rod, and the bent pawl pivoted thereto, the spring-stud, the three-armed lever provi/ded with pivoted guide-studs,v the dash-pot connected to said lever, the crabclaw and its rod, the knock-off, and the twoway valve, as and for the purpose specified.

. FRANK A. GALE.

litnessesz ALBERT M. Moolen, Enw. W. THoMPsoN.

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